As wireless communication technology evolves, wireless networks employing different radio access technology (RAT) are becoming more and more available to the general public. Examples of RAT include, for instance, wireless fidelity (WiFi), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM), 2G/3G, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), and so forth. These RATs may serve different deployment types and environments. For example, WiFi has shown to be a great technology for indoor operation whereas cellular technologies such as 2G/3G and WiMAX operate best in licensed spectrum covering large outdoor environments. It is also expected that multi-mode devices that can operate in different RAT environments will become widespread in the near future.
In order for a mobile device (herein a “mobile station”) to seamlessly move from one type of RAT network to a second type of RAT network, several solutions have been suggested. Currently proposed solutions have focused on pure layer three (L3) mobility solutions such as Mobile Internet Protocol (IP). Although these technologies may provide inter-access mobility solutions, the handoff delay associated with these solutions may be extremely high. Furthermore, such L3 mobility procedures rely completely on the mobile device to make a handoff decision, which may be less than ideal. That is, it may be more advantageous, at least in some instances, for the wireless networks to make the handoff decision.